Automatic railway gate and signal



A 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A J. BOLT. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE AND SIGNAL.

Patented Mar. 26, 1889.

N. PETERS, PhulwLflhcgnaher. Washington. D. C

(H-0 Mode l.) I 4 sheet'js sheet 2. J. BOLT.

v 0 'AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE AND SIGNAL. I No; 400,390.- Patented Mar. 26. 1889.

no Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet a.

'J .BOLT. AUTOMATIG'RAILWAY GATE AND SIGNAL.

N0 400,390. Patented Mar. 26, 1889. i-- 1 M x "fltior ngy I N. PETKRS, PhQku-Lilhngmpher. Wnhinqium u C.

"(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shet 4..

a J. BOLT.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE AND SIGNAL.

No. 400,390; Patented Mar. 26, 1 889.

A t BN2 'jyez 0Z0 .lttor'ney, I

UNITED STATES JOSEPH BOLT, OF SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FIFTHS TO J. W.

PATENT OFFICE.

MOYER AND JOHN H. WILLIAMS, OF POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE AND SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,390, dated March 26, 1889.

Application filed July 2,1888. Serial No. 278,728. (No modeh) To aZZ whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, JOSEPH BOLT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schuylkill Haven, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway Gates and Signals; and I do hereby deolare that the following is a full,'clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of my invention complete, showing the line of track in broken sections and the gatearm in an elevated position; Fig. 2, a top plan.

view, on an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the mechanism that operates the gate; Fig. 3, a similar view showing one of the shafts provided with the trip device and the mechanism connecting the shaft with the opcrating-wires; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section thereof, taken on line a: x of Fig. 3, showing the notched wheel or disk upon the shaft and the pawl which engages therewith; Fig. 5, a

top plan view of that portion of the track provided with the gate-arms and operating tive, of one of the standards to which the bell is connected, showing the gate-arm in a horizontal position; and Fig. 8, a detail view, in

\ perspective, showing one of the slotted arms,

hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A B repre= sent the two rails of the line of track and immediately in front of the roadway or crossing. The sleepers O D are of sufficient length to extend some distance beyond the sides of the rails, as shown in Fig. 1.

To the extremities of the sleepers O D are rigidly secured two standards, E, provided at their upper ends with tracks a, and upon their inner sides with bearings 19 0, through which vertically pass the shanks d of the gate-arms F. These tracks support the ends of the gate-arms F, as will more plainly hereinafter appear.

The lower ends of the gate-arm shanks have suitably connected to them short arms (2, which extend horizontally therefrom, and these arms are connected with each other by a rod, G, so that the gate arms F will be operated simultaneously. The gate=arms F are pivoted or hinged in any suitable or well-known manner to the shanks d, the latter having slotted heads f for the purpose, and below the pivotal connection with the heads of the shanks the arms are provided with extensions g, to the extremities of which are anti-friction rollers h, which bear on the tracks a when the arms F are brought to a horizontal position and are turned upon the arc of a circle, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6.

The gate-arms F are provided with weights H, so as to automatically bring said arms back to their normal or vertical position after being operated,said weights being connected to arms 2', curved as shown, and pivoted in the gate-arms between stops, so that when the chain is pulled the gate-arm will be immediately drawn to a horizontal position by the impact of the arm 2' against one of these stops, andwhen the chain is relaxed the weight H will cause the arm 2' to bear against the other stop, the said arm '6 being placed at the very bottom of the slot in the head f, so that it cannot rock upon its pivot. The tracks a prevent the weights H from raising the arms until the arms shall have been swung to a position across the road, by means of the coiled spring I, which encircles one of the shanks cl. These arms are connected by ropes or chains j to levers I, said levers being pivoted at one end to suitable brackets, J, secured to the upper side of the sleeper C, the free ends of the levers having a screw-rod, 70, passing through them, to the lower ends of which engage nuts k, thus providing means for connecting the chains with the levers and admitting any slack in the chain being taken up or the chain being shortened or lengthened, as circumstances require. This is accomplished by simply turning the nuts 70 in the proper direction, which will shorten or lengthen the screw-rod, the chain being attached in any suitable manner to the upper ends of the screw-rods.

Suitably connected to the shank d of one of the gate-arms is a grooved sector, K, to which is attached one end of a wire, Z, said wire passing in the groove of the sector and extendingalong the track to a crank-arm, m, on the end of a transverse rod, L, as will be hereinafter more fully described. A transverse rod,'l\l, is located between the sleepers O D, and has its bearings in castings 0, secured to said sleepers, and the extremities of the rod are provided with pulleys N, which are rigidly secured to the rod and have upon their outer sides eccentrically-projecting pins p, which engage with slots q in the levers I, so that when the rod is turned upon its axis the levers will be operated and in turn the gate- 21,11115- To one of the pulleys N is attached one end of a wire, 1", which extends in the groove of said pulley and passes along the line of track to a large grooved wheel, 0, the opposite end of said wire being attached to the wheel in any convenient manner. The gate-arms are provided with suitable signal-flags, P; or any desirable and well-known means may be employed to serve as signals, and an alarm is provided, consisting, preferably, of a gong, or bell, Q, connected to one of the standards E.

A suitable hammer, R, is pivoted to the standard, and the upper end of the hammerarin terminates in a finger, s, which is operated. upon by the extension 9 of the gate-arm coming in contact therewith when the gatearm is turned upon its axis while the gatearm is in a vertical position, the roller passing upon the outside of the finger s, and as the gate swings around the said finger is i moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 7

until the roller passes said finger, when the springt will cause said finger to assume its normal position. This will cause the hammer to be quickly brought against the hell with suificient force to sound an alarm some time before the train reaches the crossing and before the gate is down, thereby allowing the person in the road to either cross on the opposite side of thetrack or turn back in the road before the gate-arms are lowered across it, a suitable spring, t, forcing the hammer back to its normal position.

In place of the weights H, suitable springs may be substituted, which would effect the same purpose-via, to bring the gate-arms back to their normal position after being operated uponthe weight and springbein g considered a mechanical equivalent to each other to effect a common obj eet. The several wires which extend along the line of track, to form a connection with the operating mechanism, pass through guides 11. of any desirable form and construction, which project from the several sleepers along the line of track, as shown, thereby retaining them in their proper relative position. The large grooved wheel 0 is suitably keyed to a transverse shaft, S, which has its crank portion 1: bearing on aflat spring, T, and the shaft has its bearings in castings U, both the spring and castings being connected in any suitable manner to the sleepers V. The shaft S has a second crank, w, to which is suitably connected one end of a tread-plate, \V, the opposite end of said plate being connected to the crank end a of the shaft A, which has its hearings in castings B. This tread-plate is of such length as to insure a wheel of the passing train being on the plate at all times until the last car has passed over it.

A spring-plate, C, bears on the crank end of the shaft A and assists the shaft in resuming its normal position after pressure is removed from the tread-plate. The wire 0" passes over a small grooved pulley, 1), previous to its being attached to the wheel 0, and around the shaft of said wheel is coiled a spring, 0, one end thereof formed into an eyebolt, c, and having connected therewith one end of a Wire, 6, hereinafter described, and the opposite end of said spring bearing on apin, d, projecting from the inner side of the wheel, said spring taking off any sudden jar from the shaft when released. One end of a wire, 6, is suitably attached to the eyebolt c of the spring 0 on the crank-shaft S, and extends along the line of track and has its opposite end connected to one end of a screw-rod, f, with which engages a nut, g. This rod passes loosely through one end of a bell-crank lever, D, which is pivoted to a bracket, h, on one of the sleepers Y, and a coiled spring, 1', is located between the nut and end of the bell-crank lever, which also takes oif any sudden jar to the parts. The opposite arm of the bell-crank lever to that through which the screw-rod passes bears against a eollar,j, upon the rod or shaft L, which has its bearings in castings E, secured to the sleepers Y, the wire 1 being connected to the crank m of the shaft, as previously stated, and passing over a grooved pulley, 76

The-shaft L is slightly bent to form a crank, Z, to which is attached a suitable spring, 'm, the other end of the spring being attached to one of the sleepers Y, and the shaft near the collar j is provided with a notched wheel or disk, F, with which engages a pawl, 11., pivoted to one of the castings E, and bearing on the opposite end of the shaft is a flat spring, 0'. The spring 0 keeps the shaft L in position, so that the tread device G will come in contact with the flange of the ear-wheel when the first wheel of the moving train passes over it, after which the bell-crank lever will shift the shaft so as to bring the trip device in the position as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, in order that the wheels following will not come in contact with it.

.In operation the trip device G is in an elevated position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and as the train passes over the track the forward wheel of the locomotive will strike the device, and in doing so force it down to a horizontal position, and as the device is rigidly connected to the shaft L the latter will be turned in the direct-ion as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 3. This turning of the shaft will draw on the wire Z, and by means of its connection with the sector K, which in turn is rigidly secured to one of the shanks d of the gate-arms, the shank will be turned on its axis. By means of the rod G, connecting the two shanks d of the gate-arms, the two shanks, with their arms, are operated simultaneously by means of the wire l when the trip device G is depressed by the wheel of the'passing train coming in contact therewith. The object of turning the shanks d and the gateearms horizontally upon their axis is to sound an alarm and display the signal some little time before the gate is closed or the gate-arms brought to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 5. When the shanks d are turned, as-above described, the extensiong of one ofthe gate-arms will be brought in contact with the fingers of the arm of thehammer R, and by means of the spring 12 will force the hammer against the bell Q to sound an alarm after the hammer has been thrown back by means of the extension of i the gate-arm upon the finger of the hammer-arm, the recoil of the spring forcing the hammer forward against the bell.

The operation of the bell is similar to the common bell operated by a spring-hammer, and therefore further description of. it is consid ered unnecessary, as any well-known form of bell or gong may be substituted for that shown that will conveniently and successfully soundan alarm at the proper time previous to the gate being closed. Now, as the alarm is sounded, the signahflags I are brought in position as shown in Fig. 6, so that they will be readily seen by any one in the road crossing the track to give them additional warning that a train is approaching and allow them to either remain in the road upon that side of the track or cross the road to the other side before the gate is closed. Now, it will be seen that when the trip device G is depressed by the wheel of the train both an alarm is sounded and a danger-signal is displayed to warn any one that is at that time on the crossroad within near proximity of the track.

When the shaft L is turned by the depression far.. Now, it is necessary to bring the trip device G in a position that the wheels of the several oar-trucks will not come in contact therewith, and to accomplish this I have provided suitable mechanism to bring the trip is brought upon the tread-plate W by the wheels of the train, the shaftS is turned, as

previously stated, and with it the large wheel.

0, to which is attached one end of a wire, '1', which will draw 011 the wire. This wire, be-

ing attached at one end to one of the pulleys N, will by means of its connection turn the shaft M and bring the trip device H thereon in an upright position for the passing wheel to come in contact with. As the shaft M is turned to bring the trip device in an upright position, by means of the slotted arms I, connecting with the pulleys N, through the medium of the pins p, the arms will be depressed, andthrough the chain connections j, with the weight-arms i, the pivoted or hinged gatearms F' will be brought to a horizontal position across the track. The tracks a are for the purpose of drawing the gate-arms down to a horizontal position across the road after they have been rotated in one direction upon their axes, and then, by the action of the springs I, to cause the shanks (Z to rotate in the contrary direction, causing the friction-rollers h to ride upon the tracks a.

So far as described the gate-arms are in position to come horizontally acrosstheroad at each side of the track; or, in other words, the gate is closed, and the next step therefore is to bring the gate-arms back to their normal position. This is accomplished by the forward wheel of the train coming in contact with the trip device H and depressing it, which will turn back the shaft M, raise the slotted arms I, and by means of the weights H the, gate-arms are brought to their normal and upright position, as shown in Fig. 1. As the last wheel passes off the tread-plate W, the shafts to which it is connected resume their normal position by means of the spring T, which presses upon the crank portion of the shaft S. This will release the pressure on the wire 6, and consequently pressure on the bell-crank lever D, when the spring 0, which presses on the end of the shaft L, will force it back to its former position and the trip device in position to be again acted upon by the next train in the same manner as before described.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a combined railway gate and signal, the shaft M, provided with pulleys N and pins 13 thereon, in combination with the slotted 1evers or arms I and suitable connections between said arms and the gate-arms, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a combined railway gate and signal, the shaft M, provided with trip device II, and the pulleys N with pins 1), in combination with the slotted levers or arms I, the connections j, and weighted arms i, pivoted to the gate-arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a combined railway gate and signal, the hinged or pivoted gate-arms I and the shanks d, in combination with the wire I, the

shaft L, and the trip device G thereon, substant-ially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a combined railway gate and signal, the standards E, provided at their upper ends with tracks a, and the shanks cl, supported in bearings on said standards, in combination with the hinged or pivoted gate-arms having extensions g, provided with anti-friction rollers h, substantially as and for the purpose dcscribed.

5. In a combined railway gate and signal, the hinged or pivoted gate-arms F and the shanks (1, provided with arms 6, in combination with the connecting-rod G, whereby said shanks and gate-arms will be operated upon simultaneously, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a combined railway gate and signal, the standards E, the hinged or pivoted gatearms F, the shanks d, with arms 6, and the slotted arms I, connecting with weighted arms t, in combination with the shaft M, having trip device H, and pulleys N, connecting with the slotted arms to operate them, and the rod G, connecting the arms 6, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a combined railway gate and signal, the combination, with suitable gate-arms and the wire I for operating them, of the shaft L, provided with trip device G, said shaft adapted to slidelongitudinally in its bearings to bring the trip device from contact with the wheels of the train, and means for holding the shaft stationary, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a combined railway gate and signal, the sliding shaft L, having trip device G connected thereto, in combination with the bell-crank lever D, notched wheel F, and pawl n, for holding the shaft stationary, and means for operating the lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In a combined railway gate and signal, the sliding shaft L, provided with means for operating it and carrying the trip device G, in combination with means for bringing the shaft back to its normal position, consisting of the springs m and 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a combined railway gate and signal, the shaft S and spring '1 and the tread-plate \V, in combination with the wire 6', bellcrank lever D, and the shaft L, carrying trip device G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

1]. In a combined railway gate and signal, the shaft M, provided with the trip device H, and intermediate means for connecting it with the gate-arms, in combination with the tread-plate IV, the shaft S, shaft L, with. the trip device G, and the several wire con+ nections between the shafts and gate-arms, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In a combined railway gate and signal, the shanks (1, having hinged or pivoted gatearms F, wire I, connecting therewith and with the shaft L, having trip device G, and the shaft S and tread-plate W, for operating it, in combination with the wire r and shaft M, to which it is connected, and the trip device II on said shaft, and the wire 6, connecting the shaft S with means for operat ing the shaft L, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In. a combined railway gate and signal, the shaft S and tread-plate W, for operating it, and the spring T, for bringing the shaft to its normal position after pressure is removed from the plate, in combination with the shaft L, provided with trip device G, and means for sliding said shaft longitudinally, consisting of the bell-crank lever D, and the wire connection 6 between it and the shaft S, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

14. In a combined railway gate and signal, the combination, with the hinged or pivoted gate-arms and operating mechanism connecting therewith, and the wires Z r e, of. the shafts M S L, the trip devices H G, and means, substantially as described, for operating the shafts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witn esses.

JOSEPH BOLT.

Vitnesses:

J. WV. MoYER, HIRAM MOYER. 

